Caster



May 29, 1928.

B. MCINTOSH CASTER Filed May 9, 1925 Patented May 29, 1928.

PATENT oFFicE. ,y

fBUnTNE'rT McrN'rosH, oF NEW YORK, yN. Y." f l CASTER.

Y Application illed May 9,

rlliis invention relates to ca`sters,.and` more particularly aims to provide new and valuable improvements in furniture casters, especially for hospital furniture, such as beds.Y lit is a fact that caster structures for hospi Atal beds have long been sought which shall at once include caster wheels quickly and freely journalling structures quickly Aand freely ro` tatable about vertical axes, and yet which shall also be instantaneously,conveniently and securely lockable as to bothsuch aXesat will which shall be attachable to and replaceableon the lower leg portions of the beds,yet provided with anti-friction revoluble meinbers as well orthe vertical axes as for the horizontal ones; which shall be provided with means for lockingeach ,wheel infone of a multiplicity of angular adjustments relative to itsjournalling support,and also for locking the plane of rotation of the wheel in` anyone "of a multiplicityof angular ad justments relative `to the `length o the bed; and which shallfbe 0'enerally of compact, attractive, rugged an durableA yet inexpensive construction.` j i l y The prime' object of the' invention `isto provide a caster, a practical embodimentof which will attain all the ends just set forth. The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing def tailed description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing ,forming part of this specification; `with the 'under.

standing, however, that such drawing illustrates, merely byl Way ofexample, one v,ossible embodiment` of the invention, an

- lthe invention is not confined to `any strict conformity with the showing in the drawing, but may be changedan'dkmodihed so long as such changes andinodihcations mark no material departure romtliesalient features of the invention as expressed` in` the appended claims. i' i In said drawing, 'Figurel shows the new caster with `the wheel yin edge elevation,`

fitted to a lowerhollow'- leg :portionoif'an varticle of furniture,i such j portion being shown in section;` .A j Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but a view showing the `wheel in sideelevation; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 2, in that the journalling axis of the wheel and the vertical axis of the journalling sturcture are normally unlocked, butbeing,

however, a vertical sectional view takenpsubthat not only the limitin 1923. serial No.` 637,689.

ytheY length `of the bed, rotatable about their horizontal axes, and

` The furniture leg 5is tubular at itslower end, as is usual, to provide the familiar vertical bore A6.`

i Fitted intothe hollow of the legI 5 is a vertical'stud'' of common design, and this stud is preferably provided with,` vertical `flutings Sfheretofo-re `often adoptedyin the caster art, but in` the presentcase to serve a useful `purpose in permitting the employ` ment of a very `simplefmeans forliiiiiting predetermined telescopic adjustments .be tween studf? and` a secondary `stud 9slidably and rotatably accommodated with" in a hollow portion 1() of stud 7. j

The simple stop means just referred to includes a unitary resilient instrumentality 11 comprising a single length of spring wire bent at its middle `portion into a spring-eye 12, beyond which thel wire is `prolonged as a pair of` `downwardly lextendin vcommodated in two diametrically opposite v arms ac- .iutingsor grooves 8, except for the free end portions of arms 11,` which" portions,

marked 13 in Figure are intui'ned'toward.

each other and passed `through suitable slots or openings in` secondary `stud 9. These openings `are markedl 14 inFigurve 4; and lbeyond them the tops ofportions 13 protrude into `the peripheral groove of secondary stud 9 between shouldered portions 15 thereof.`

j `The construction just described provides means aforesaid, but, it will be seen, al'or sanantifriction journallingmounting` for secondary stud l9 relative to studff, by virtue of the reduced peripheral supertices of the secondaryl `stud rmovable relative` to` the socket mounting provided at the lower end ofthe furniture leg.

y Below secondary stud 9 iscarried astridenlargement` 1,9'. slidable `vertically through alower-cap structure 7 `formed integral with mainstud "y j ISecondary stud enlargement 9 is secured at its bottom to the upper portion of a yoke `16` the forked lower ends of which carry a 'journalling stud 17 for wheel 18.

Fixed to onep'side ofthe wheel is a cir# cumiferentially toothed member` 18 spur gear form, presenting a multiplicity of radially extending recesses or keepers,each located between a pair of gear-toothed projections 19. A link 20.carryingga bolt or..`

dog 20 to co-act with any one of the keepers of member 18 is given a pin and slot" "to which is `pivoted,at 26,the lower end of an upwardlyextending bar 27 shaped at its 'recesses or keepers, but in a horizontal plane. These recesses'` or keepers are presented between depending teeth formed onthe underside of a spur-gear type member 29 carriedintegrally by lower `cap-structure 7 and hence by main stud 7. Intermediate its ends, arm 27` passesloo'sely through slot30 in the upper end of yoke 16.

^ Treadle-lever 23 also carries'ahorizontally offset rounded portion 31 adapted to constitute,"with the multi-wave `shaped upper edge portion of link indicated at 32 in broken lines inFigures 3 and 4, an impositive latching'means for helping to hold the parts 'set when adjusted either as shown in Figure 3 or Figure 4.

' v18 as shown in Figure 4 and locks the wheel Y againstrotation on its'journalling stud 17."

'which are e uipped with the -constructionv shown and escribed, may be quickly and freely rolled about the' floor of a hospital the bed is positioned exactly as required for thepurpose thenV in mind.l Thereupon the attendant applies his foot to pedal arm 24,l

and depresses the same to the position shown in Figure 4. Simultaneously therewith, the

link 20 moves downward to the right of Figure 3, and the dog 20 engages member Also,"the dog 28 is moved up and engages "member 29 'as shown in Figure 4. Further,

to permit the pedalarm 24 to belowered fully toA the position of Figure 4, to throw 'the pivot-studs 26- and 22 into vertical alignment and hence 'to arrange the' part'sat dead center, andto cause projection 30to enter into impositive latching engagement with the upper wave depression of the shaped edge 32 of vlink 20, the link raises main stud 7, leg 5, and the Wire spring stop device 11, relative tofsecondary stud 9 and `all the parts therebelow.

It will be understood of course that each of the Afour legs of the bed is preferably 'tiye to both; studs.

.ndicated, be resorted to within the scope of the following claims.

"I claim:

l 1. In a caster, in combination, a caster wheel,"a vertical stud for upward insertion into the hollow lower leg portion of an article'of furniture, said stud being hollow, a sup .orti'ng structure lfor -the wheelcaster inclu mg a' secondary" upstanding stud top topresent'a dog 28'relati've to another" circumferentially arranged multiplicity ofada ted to be 'rotatably seated inl the hollow stu and-means for simultaneously causing relative' movement-of the wheel and one of the `studsrelativefto the other.v stud, and means thereupon automatically' brought into play for'locking the wheel againstrotation relative to 'the supportingVV structure and against'changing its plane `ofrotation relaandpedal actuated .means for simultaneously locking th'ef supportin Vstructurefagainst rotation relative to sai leg portion and for iocking 'the wheel against rotation relative 'y to the supporting structure.

"13; In a' easter, in combination, 'a caster`r wheel, a supporting structure forthe wheel axis adapted to be mounted lon the `lower leg portionof anart'icle of furniture, means 4'for' locking the wheel against rotation relative to thesupporting'structure, and means for thereupon automaticallyj'locking the "wheel againstchanging its plane of rotation `room in any direction or directions; until relative tothearticle offurniture, there being an actuating pedal common to both said means movably mounted 'on the fsupporting structure.

. 4. In measter infcombination, a-l caster wheel', a supportlng structure for the wheel `axishvsuiapted to be mounted on the 'lower leg4 portion of an article of furniture, means against changing its `plane of rotation von means are further provided for limiting said movement'of said leg.

6. The caster defined vin claim 4, wherein means are further provided for positively limiting said movement oit'` saidV leg, said means including aresilient instrumentality.

7. In a caster, combination, a caster wheel, a. supporting-,structure forthe wheel axis adapted to be mounted on thelower leg portion of an article of; furniture, means for locking the wheel abnormally relative to the bed, and means for thereupon raising the bed relative to the wheel thereby to lock said lockinor means againstaccidental release.

8. The caster defined in lclaim 7, wherein a pedal actuator is provided and said locking means is operatively connected thereto, suchl operative connection including a plurality of members pivotally attached at a plurality of points, one of such pivots being movable with a member and the latter pivot becoming vertically aligned with another pivot when the bed raising means raises the bed.

9. A caster comprising a socket member` Vfor upward insertion into the hollow lower leg portion of an article of furniture, a stud rotatably fitting within the socket, a yoke secured to the stud, awheel rotatably mounted in the yoke, stop members formed on the wheeh a foot lever pivoted to the yoke, an arm pivoted to the foot lever and adapted to engage thesocket,v and a second arm pivoted to the foot lever and adapted to engage the stop members formed on the Wheel.

In testimony whereof I afix my signature.

BURTNETT MCINTOSH. 

